What do tamales and screen printed merchandise have in common? They’re both masterfully prepared by entrepreneur Hugo Carranza right here in Everett. Hugo and his family moved here from Los Angeles about six years ago, and have since immersed themselves in the local business scene.

Lucha Printing at is one of Hugo’s recent business endeavors. It wasn’t handed to him—without any formal training, he saved up to buy the printing equipment and taught himself how to print with black and white ink.

With determination and resourcefulness, his knowledge of the craft grew steadily into what it is today: bold, unique and inspirational.

Daily life in the sunny sprawl of Los Angeles, surrounded by Latinx arts and culture, molded (Hugo’s) first few chapters of his life before moving to Everett.

There is a strong sense of community in his old neighborhood.

Creativity and ingenuity shine through in Lucha’s designs and Hugo’s mission as a small business owner. This is exemplified in the popular Estar Guars shirt series. The series combines Star Wars characters with creative flair like the Frida Kahlo-inspired Princess Leia or Chewbacca with the quintessential street style bandana over his mane.

Unique doesn’t even cover it—this kind of creativity comes from the heart.

You can find Lucha Printing’s screen printed merch at local pop-up markets and occasional events with the Colectiva Noreste and other makers markets in the area. Colectiva Noreste is a collaborative market for local Latinx artists and artisans, and they also participate in other cultural events in the Northwest.

Hugo’s vision is to share the gems of his upbringing with the Everett community and he’s particularly passionate about the culinary aspect from his experience growing up in a Mexican-Guatemalan household in L.A.  

Daily life in the sunny sprawl of Los Angeles, surrounded by Latinx arts and culture, molded the first few chapters of his life before moving to Everett. There is a strong sense of community in his old neighborhood.

His crafts are an ode to his upbringing, brought to life by weaving the pieces from his childhood into his adult life here in Everett.

So back to those tamales—Hugo’s recently stepped out to pursue a new profession as a tamale maker and vendor. The tamale biz is nostalgically named Los Tamaahles (you have to pronounce as if you are hollering it, just like the tamale vendors do when they roll through the neighborhoods). Handcrafted at a local kitchen, the recipes reflect his family’s traditions.

Making tamales is a lengthy process that requires patience and diligence. Each tamale is delicately filled and wrapped into a neat little package.

The first tamale pop-up was at the Scuttlebutt Taproom at the Everett Makers Market, and it sold out within two hours.

They’re that delicious.

Not a meat eater? You’re in luck! You can find options for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. While working at Narrative Coffee, Hugo gained lots of experience separating specialty foods in the kitchen—especially gluten free and vegetarian dishes. The standard tamale menu offering is: traditional chicken or pork, soyrizo (vegetarian chorizo) with potato, or jackfruit with salsa verde.

Jackfruit somewhat resembles shredded pork and is a tender tropical fruit often used as a vegetarian filling.

So what’s on the horizon for Mr. Carranza’s enterprises? He recently purchased a food cart and is getting all of his permitting and regulatory ducks in a row so he can soon pop-up on a street corner near you, possibly the farmers markets, and other locations around town.

Meanwhile you can always catch him at the Scuttlebutt Taproom Thursdays from 4-9 p.m. If you can’t make it to the taproom, reach out to Hugo and perhaps he can make you a special order. Doesn’t get much better than that.

Keep your eyes on Lucha Printing and Los Tamaahles; they are going places!

Literally.

Find both Lucha Printing and Los Tamaahles on Instagram

@luchaprinting
@lostamaahles

Lindsey is a business owner and writer. She enjoys exploring the magnificent sights of the Pacific Northwest along with checking out the local art and restaurant scene.